soriminah

This is something that I have thought about on and off over the years. I've never been with an overweight man and never been attracted to any so I've always thought myself hypocritical. Funnily enough, at my size, my ex who I was with for 2 years is a personal trainer. Go figure. My weight has never been an issue for him though.

Last November I was admitted to hospital with pulmonary embolism. My case was so bad the DVT specialist, Cardiac Specialist and Vascular Specialist all said there is no way I should be alive. I should have died instantly when a 2cm blood clot passed through my heart. If that's not a big enough wake up call to change your life or next time I probably won't be so lucky. Now I've had DVT the chance of it happening again is higher and obesity is a big factor. Over Christmas I decided to finally go for it. Had band placed 25 March. My sister had hers 4 years ago and back then tried to get me to do it. Should have listened to her back then. :thumbup:

Even though I've read that it's not supposed to happen to lap band people, I think I had a serious case of dumping today. I went to kmart today and ended up buying some lemsip sachets. I've had a sore throat since the op on Tues and thought this might help - never had them before. The box doesn't tell you much, just that it contains paracetamol and some sucrose, glucose and saccharin with lemon flavour. Anywho, got home and had one sachet. Within 2 minutes, I had massive stomach cramps, nausea, sweating and had to get to the toilet ASAP. I felt ill for about 3 hours afterwards with multiple toilet trips. Not a pleasant experience and wouldn't like to have it happen again.

Sounds like you got a dud deal with your surgeon. Mine is Blair Bowden from the Wesley in Brisbane (I think I love him :crying: - hehe). Anywho, I had to meet with his Nurse to go through everything - theres quite an extensive questionairre to fill in regards health history, food history etc, have 2 consults with Blair and then even the night of the surgery he came to see me in pre-op, put in my canula and asked if I was ok with everything and was there anything I wanted to ask or know. Then he came to see me the next morning to check I was ok and go through the post-op info and to see him in 2 weeks. My GP had sent me to a dietician a couple of months prior so he was happy with that. One thing that has concerned me while researching lap banding is there are some surgeons who appear to take advantage of fat people. They seem to have an attitude of 'get em in, get em out, take their money, if there's problems - oh well, plenty more fat people out there to take money off.' Theres a big difference in surgeons who go out of their way to make you feel comfortable with everything and those who don't give a damn.

I've got similar feelings - got banded last Tuesday. I've had a heavy feeling in the middle of my chest which I attribute to gas. When I burp it disappears and then builds up again after a while. I'm a champion burper at the moment. It comes up with no control on my part. Sometimes it gurgles up and I have to be careful not to accidently burp in front of clients. :cursing:

Funny story - My op was last Tuesday to have the band put it - my sister had her's removed last Wednesday because it had slipped. They told her to wait 12 months before having it replaced. She had her's for 4 years. She got a vomiting bug (we think food poisoning from seafood) which made it slip.

I had my op last Tuesday and I can sleep on my belly again. Have been for the past couple of nights. Just depends on how long it takes you to heal.

I'm a firm believer in self healing. I told the surgeon I was going to have the perfect op and I did. I started visualising a week or so before hand. Even waiting to go into surgery I was already visualising that all my incisions had healed and I was better. I had the op on Tuesday night, out of hospital 12 hours later and back to work 24 hours later. The dressings came off 3 days post-op which made me really itchy. I stopped using panadol a couple of days post-op too. The only thing I'm struggling with is the irritated throat from surgery - woke up with no voice after op and it's not much better at the moment. I have been going to bed earlier at night though to make sure I've been getting enough sleep to help healing. I only had slight shoulder pain the night of the op and none since. I've been burping like a champion though. I nearly burped in front of a client yesterday because it just came out and had to quickly turn around to try and muffle it a bit :thumbup:.

There are lots of things that can make you constipated. Changes in diet, medication, being dehydrated. It's not a good idea to start relying on laxatives because they can have an adverse effect on your system. You have to start taking more and more of them to work. The best option would be psyllium husks. I prefer metamucil when I need it which is based on psyllium husks. Have some once a day for a few days. Because it's a natural fibre it's a lot gentler on your system than some laxatives.

I've had a couple of women at work notice that I've lost weight and ask me and I just say 'oh, I don't know - I could have.' I haven't told anyone except my sisters and my Mum about the band because of people's reactions. I work in a majority female workplace and it can be pretty bitchy at the best of times. When it really becomes obvious I'll have to think of things to say but I still won't tell them it's because of the band.

Depends on what you started out like as to how it bounces back but I'll be a TT candidate down the track because of the way my belly is now.

Only got banded yesterday - less than 24 hours ago and I woke up hungry and still am. WHAT THE? I feel I could go for a drive to Maccas to get something to eat. Maybe I'm still dehydrated from yesterday. I've also got a bit of reflux happening. Maybe that's what's making me want to eat.

It's settled down a lot today. I think it might have been a bit of reflux that was making me think I was hungry. I went and got some mylanta today and it seems to have fixed the problem. The surgeons list for the first two weeks is any Fluid you can sip through a straw. Protein supplements, thin Soups and broths, drinking yoghurts, fruit and vege juice. Today I've had some watered down apple juice, peppermint tea, cuppa Soup and cordial - over 2L worth so I'll just keep on keeping on.

Date set for March 18. Hmmm, just realised that the numerolgy for the 18th. It is a 9 day (1+8=9). Nine: A day to announce important plans, and make promising contacts. This day promises achievement in most areas of life. Personal growth, triumph and success in competitions are at hand this day. Yep, it'll be a good day all round.

Tarring everyone with the same brush when she's talking about herself??

The title says it all. I rang APRA back Friday and said my application was approved. YAY. Rescheduled operation for 25th. Only 1 week delay.

Hi all After doing an extensive search for myself, there doesn't seem to be much reading material about on peoples personal experience of being banded - how they made the decision, before, during and after the process etc. I have read the book Fighting Weight by Khaliah Ali with her experience on being banded but that's about all I can find. So, I was thinking about putting together a book of people's lap band experiences but of course I need people to contribute with their experience. Just wanting to guage interest and see who would be keen to contribute to this. If anyone is keen, please let me know. I've got a basic outline of questions as a guide which I'm happy to email to get people thinking about it. I don't get banded til March but the lack of info on peoples experience with the band has prompted me to try and get a book out there. This is not inclusive of Australian's - if anyone else out there is interested just let me know.

I wouldn't be so shitty if it wasn't for the fact that I am the first person through my surgeon that's been told to change 1 word on the letter in all they years they've been doing it. Every other person they have given the same letter to hasn't had a problem and been approved immediately. I now have to cancel my operation as I am supposed to pay for the op tomorrow and that's not going to happen now.

If they haven't told you by now and given you the pre-op diet info then probably not. My sisters surgeon didn't require her to. All surgeons are different but they would have told you by now if you had to.

Hopefully on the 18th. I'm starting to freak out that the funds won't be through in time and I'll have to reschedule. I've organised everything for over easter as work will be closed for a week so I'll only need to take minimal extra time off. Keep everything crossed for me that the money comes through in time.

I got on a pair of scales today and I've lost 7kg in 12 days on optifast so it's working. 3 opti meals a day - been eating heaps of the chocolate bars cause I can chew them and tend to fill me better and minimum 4L water a day.

Not me. My Dr said only 3 opti meals a day. Nothing else unless I'm starving then I can have some veges but only if I really really need to. I've been surviving ok on just the 3 opti meals a day except the past 2 days I've been really hungry.

The Dr's are more concerned what's going on inside. So long as you've stuck to it it should have shrunk your liver which is all the Dr's concerned about pre-op to make the surgery as safe as possible for you. Everyone loses at a different rate and they know that.

I've been really hungry the past 2 days and I drink a tonne of water. At least 4L a day. Must be something in the air - I caved in last night and had some veges and again tonight. But I'm loving the optifast chocolate bars. Love, love, love them.

The only thing that I really don't like about optifast is the metallic taste in my mouth from time to time. Sure makes you drink loads of water to try and get rid of it.